Celebrating A Hot Rodding Legend
Even if the name Gene Winfield doesn’t ring a bell, we can bet you’ve seen one of his creations on the big screen. Winfield is one of America’s greatest custom car creators, and we just couldn’t resist taking a deeper look at his life and insanely cool designs. From his first shop in his mother’s chicken coop to the heights of Hollywood, Gene Winfield’s life has been one wild ride—and he’s still going strong at 97 years old.
Humble Beginnings
Gene Winfield grew up in Modesto, California. He first fell in love with cars after seeing all the vehicles at his older brother Glen’s wrecking yard.
Joetregembo, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
His First Car
In 1942, Winfield shelled out $75 for his first car, a 1928 Ford Model A coupe. The car didn’t have a radio, but Winfield made it look cool by giving it a foxtail radio antenna.
Lars-Göran Lindgren, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
His First Custom
Winfield did his first big custom job on a 1930 Model A. He swapped out the engine for a 1937 flathead and designed and welded a custom intake manifold. He also filled the grille shell—it took him three attempts, but the final result was a sweet looking hot rod.
Bernard Spragg, Wikimedia Commons
Navy Man
Winfield had to temporarily give up hot rodding for a nobler pursuit: fighting for freedom in WWII. Near the end of the conflict, he completed a year-long tour of duty in the Navy.
The Model T Roadster
When Gene Winfield got back from combat, he promptly dove back into the world of hot rodding. In 1946, he set up his own car shop in a chicken coop on his parents’ property. There, he built his 1927 Model T roadster.
Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
It Was A Hit
Winfield used to race the Model T with his friends on dry lakes, and in 1950, he put the car on display at the first National Roadster Show in Oakland, California. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before Gene had to pump the brakes on hot rodding again—he was being sent back to the Army.
Back To The Army
Since his tour hadn’t been long enough to meet his obligation to the military, Winfield had to serve as an Army MP. They shipped him off to Japan, but he wasn’t about to let that stop him from customizing cars.
He Wouldn’t Stop
Winfield and a few of his Army buddies set up a small chop shop and got to work. They took apart a 1941 Ford coupe and customized it so it could be entered in local stock-car races.
Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Racing Days
In 1951, Gene Winfield found himself back home in the United States, and he’d returned with a need for speed. Winfield took up racing, trying his hand everything from hardtop and street races to the early forms of organized drag racing.
The Thing
Winfield turned another Ford Model T into a hot rod. Dubbed “The Thing”, the car could hit a top speed of 135 mph and was driven by Winfield at Bonneville Speedway.
He Was An Innovator
With business booming, it was time to move to a new spot. In 1955, Gene Winfield opened Winfield's Custom Shop in downtown Modesto. There, he developed an innovation in custom painting: The Winfield Fade, which involved carefully fading two candy colors.
Shop Truck
Gene’s Shop Truck was unveiled in March 1960. The shimmering gold customization of a 1935 Ford pickup truck was later restored by Hatfield Restorations and now sits on display at the Galpin Auto Sports Museum.
Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Becoming A Household Name
Gene Winfield got some more recognition on the national hot rod scene after helping out on famous projects like Spence Murray’s Dream Truck. He also made waves with the Jade Idol, a custom Mercury that was named one of Car Craft's 10 Best Customs in 1960.
Solar Scene
After the Jade Idol, Winfield went to work on another customized Mercury. This one was called “Solar Scene” and aside from the paint job, its coolest feature was its electric swivel seats.
He Helped Ford
In the early 1960s, Detroit automakers wanted to dip their toes into the hot rod market, and they set about creating drag and show concept cars to captivate the youth. They set up the Ford Custom Car Caravan and invited Winfield to lend a hand.
The Ford Caravan
For the Ford Caravan, Winfield was joined by legendary custom creators George Barris, Bill Cushenbery, Dean Jeffries, and the Alexander Bros. Winfield developed the Pacifica Ford Econoline van and Mercury Comet Cyclone Sportster.
LarryStevens, Wikimedia Commons
The Strip Star
Winfield also designed the Strip Star for Ford. He powered the aluminum-bodied hot rod with a 427 V8 engine.
Craig Howell, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Reactor
In 1964, Winfield took his customization of aluminum-bodied cars up a notch. He created The Reactor, a mid-engined two seater with a low profile. But the tech beneath the hood was far more impressive than the cool bodywork.
PLawrence99cx, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Reactor (cont’d)
Winfield took a Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 engine from a Corvair Corsa and paired it with front wheel drivetrain of a Citroën DS. He also kept the DS’ height adjustable Hydropneumatic suspension.
A Showstopper
The Reactor was a hit with hot rod enthusiasts and even caught the eye of TV execs. In 1967, an episode of Bewitched was written to feature The Reactor and its unique capabilities. And in 2017, the car turned heads again at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance car show.
Joetregembo, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Welcome To Hollywood
Winfield’s custom work took him to Hollywood, and in 1966, he was hired by Aluminum Model Toys (AMT) to create promotional vehicles. One of those vehicles was the Galileo spacecraft from Star Trek.
GorissenM, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Piranha
The Piranha was the next Winfield creation to grace the small screen, appearing in a 1967 episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The car featured the same Corvair engine as The Reactor but was rear-engined with a rear wheel drivetrain. It was originally meant to show how ABS could be used in automotive materials.
PLawrence99cx, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sci-Fi Magic
In the ‘80s, Winfield went on to help design cars for sci-fi movies, including the spinners from Blade Runner, the Starcar from The Last Streetfighter, and the 6000 SUX from Robocop.
zombieite, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Award Winner
Many of Winfield’s creations have won awards but three of his cars went on to win the award for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, which is incredibly impressive. He won in 1955, 1963, and in 1964 with the King T.
Toolmaker
Winfield is known for his custom creations, but he’s also made a few metal-shaping tools like bead rollers and hammers. One his more famous tools is the Pullmax, used for cutting metal.
Maybelline
Winfield built this custom ‘61 Cadillac in 1993. It features his Winfield Fade paint job with a blend of Butterscotch and Ice Cream paint.
The Brookville Roadster
In 2007, Winfield built this 1932 Ford Brookville Roadster in an attempt to get into the 200-mph club at Bonneville. The hot rod is powered by a Rates Racing 368 Windsor Ford engine and features a front-end suspension designed by the late, great Lil’ John Buttera.
Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Shop
Winfield has owned multiple car shops over the years. His latest, Gene Winfield Rod & Custom, takes up about five acres in the Mojave desert.
No Retirement In Sight
When he’s not traveling the world doing workshops, Winfield still works on custom creations at his shop. Depending on who shows up, he has four to six employees to lend a hand.
Craig Howell, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Final Thoughts
Gene Winfield's come along way from those early days working out of a chicken coop, and there's no signs of him slowing down any time soon. The world of custom cars would be a lot more boring without him, so let's raise a toast to this one-of-a-kind, hot rodding king.
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